Fountain-pen



(No Model.)

L.A.8HATTU8K.

FOUNTAIN PEN. v No. 428,822. Patented Mar; 18, 1880.

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@wlw 8 e' z of Fig. l.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAFOREST A. SHATTUCK, OF BLOOMSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOUNTAIN-PEN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 423,822, dated March 18, 1890. Application filed October 29, 1888. Serial No. 289,481. (No model.)

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LAFoRnsr A. SHATTUCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomsburg, in the county of Columbia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fountain- Pens; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, suoli as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates especially to fountainpens wherein the column of ink in the reservoir is mainly prevented from descending too freely by a stopper in the nozzle end of the reservoir, suoli stopper serving as the inkiiowing medium for the supply of ink to the pen, which supply is effected by air admitted into the reservoir and allowed to occupy the vacuum above the column of ink in the reser- Voir.

My invention consists, in a fountain-pen, of certain combinations, constructions, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter described and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of ni-y improved fountain-pen complete and as ready for use. Fig. 2 is a cross-section in the line 0c a; of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a similar section in the line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar view in the line Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the fountain-pen, showing the nozzle with the airvent, groove, or passage on its inner surface, combined with an auxiliary air Veni', groove, or passage in the periphery of the stopper. Fig. 6 is a cross-section in the line x of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a top view of the stopper and its adjuncts shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a similar view to Fig. 5, showing the nozzle with the air vent, groove, or passage in its inner surface, combined with an auxiliary air vent, groove, or passage in the stopper. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section similar to Fig. 5, showing the nozzle with the air vent, groove, or passage on its inner surface, combined with an auxiliary air vent, `groove, or passage in the stopper. Fig. l0 is a longitudinal section of the nozzle end of the reservoir, shown in Figs. l and 8, looking npward. Fig. 1l is a detail longitudinal section showing the conductor secured in position by a groove and screw-threaded ring or tube. Fig. l2 is a cross-section in the line 5 e" of Fig. ll, and Fig. 13 is a horizontal section of the nozzle shown in Fig. 5.

In the drawings, A represents the upper portion, and A the lower or nozzle end, of the reservoir.

Bis a slotted and perforated stopper for supporting a writing-pen C and closing the nozzle end of the reservoir, so as to prevent the body of the ink from escaping, except through it as an ink-flowing medium.' The nozzle end of the reservoir is connected to the upper portion A by a screw-thread a, as usual, and in its inner cylindrical surface a longitudinal groove, as l), in Figs. 10 and 13, for

the in iiow of air, is provided, and this groove may be parallel on its sides or tapered, as shown, and on its broad surface it may be parallel with the interior surface of the upper portion of the reservoir, as shown in Fig. l, or it may be beveled, as shown in some of the other figures. As the groove in the nozzle is depended mainly upon for the iniiow of air, it will always begin and extend back from the front ends of the nozzle and stopper, as shown in Fig. l and other figures of the drawings.

In order to form the groove in the wall of the nozzle, the nozzle should be made of hard rubber or other suitable substance slightly thicker than usually employed. By forming the groove in the inner side of the nozzle in the manner described and shown I am enabled to have the air-passage independent of the ink-passage d of the stopper, and also the slot c, in which the peu C is seated, more nearly central with respect to the said independent ink-flowing passage d, and thereby produce a more perfectly-operating fountainpen.

In order to avoid making the wall of the nozzle too thick in light fountain-pens, I sometimes make a compound air-influx groove or passage by forming a groove b in the inner side of the nozzle, extend-ing from the front end thereof, and a coinciding groove h in the outer periphery of the stopper, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and '9; or, instead of forming a groove in the periphery of the stopper, I cut IOO down the upper side of the stopper on a slight incline or bevel b2, as shown in Fig. S. The coinciding grooves b b, as in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, or a groove b in the nozzle and a beveled surface b2 on the stopper, as in Fig. 8, answer well, as either construction will afford an airinflux passage extending from the front of the nozzle and stopper to the rear ends thereof, as shown in Figs. 5 and 8, and this passage may be slightly indirect by having part of the length of the groove I) in the nozzle, as in Figs. 5 and 13, and part of the groove, as I1', in the periphery of the stopper, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and the two parts of the grooves united about midway of the length of the stopper, as shown in Fig. 5, or at any other point, provided the groove in the nozzle begins at the forward end of the nozzle, and at said end is open for entrance of air while the ink is flowing out of the pen-stopper at a point independent of said air-passage; or it may be practicable to terminate the air vents, grooves, or passages in both the nozzle and the stopper at a point in" rear of the pen or a short distance from the rear end of the stop per, and connect said groove with the inkfiowin g passage d of the stopper by a passage b3, as shown in Fig. 9, said vertical passage h being preferably employed whether the airgroove is formed on the nozzle on the inner surface or partly in said nozzle and partly in the periphery of the stopper, as it will draw ofi? anyaceidental accumulation of ink in said groove and keep the air-passage open or free. I contemplate using this vertical passage Il" in. constructing foul'itaii1pens of the type shown in Fig. l, or any of the types of pens shown te which it may be applicable. The stopper may also be provided with an auxiliary ink-channel b4 on its under side, said channel extending from the rear of the stopper and uniting with the ink-passage d, as shown in Fig. S; or said channel may be formed as at 1f in Fig. 5, and the rear of the stopper partly cut away, as at Ul in said iig- 4, -ure, thus increasing the capillary attraction surface toward the pen.

The stopper I3 is made in the form of a eylindrical or tubular plug, and is preferably shorter than the nozzle and fitted by frictional contact so as to be held in place, and yet be adjustable inward and outward within the nozzle.

D is a concave transmitter or feed-bar on the front upper portion of the stopper. This transmitter or feed-bar has an outline similar to a pen, as shown, or it may be made of any other suitable shape, and it is made to extend forward to near the front of the pen C, with its extreme end and its edges in contact with the back of the pen, as shown. In rear of the stopper a conductor E, which is inde pendent of the stopper, is applied within the reservoir. This conductor is in the form of a thin Hat plate, broad at its middle portion e andaeduccd at its end portions e e in the forms, as shown. The forward terminus of one of the portions e' may be of a fan-tail form if it extends into the nozzle end A', in order to cause a greater conduetingsurface toward the pen C, when the fountain-pen is being used, and also to produce a greater displacement of ink, and thereby facilitate the emptying of the nozzle end A while said nozzle is being withdrawn from the reservoir; but when the conductor does not extend into the nozzle end A', as illustrated in Fig. 9, both ends of the conductor may be inn'rowbars, as shown in said figure, and one or both may be tapered. The broader portion e of the conductor is fitted in an enlarged counterbored portion oi' the reservoir, and may be slid in grooves j f, Figs. 4 and l2, in the inner surface of the reservoir, and thereby held firmly in place with its ends e e isolated from the walls of the reservoir and centrally in line with the passage d of the stopper. This mode of supporting a device known and acting as an ink-conductor, and which is not analogous to a piston and pistou-rod, prevents it sagging at its front or lower end, as in constructions wherein it is t'astened by one end to the extreme upper end of the reservoir or to a sliding cap thereof. Instead of having grooves forholding the conductor in position a pin passed through Wouldsuilicc or answer the same purpose; or, if preferred, it may be attached to a screw-ring 71 and said rin gina-y be secured into the reservoir and thereafter the nozzle A screwed in against it, as illustratedin Fi gsll and l2 or the conductor might be iittcd into position so as to hold simply by friction. The front end of the conductor may extend into the nozzle in close proximity to the heel of the pen C, and thus adjusted it will conduct the ink into the ink-passage d, from whence it is conducted to the end of the pen by the feed-bar or transmitter D. This conductor, while it serves for conducting the ink from the reservoir to the inkchannel of the stopper in the most perfect manner, also conducts the ink back into the reservoir when the penis not in use, and, furthermore, prevents the formation of air bubbles during the filling of the reservoir, the ink flowing along it by attraction, and thus avoiding stoppage and other objectionable results in the manipulation of -the pen, both in using and filling it. If this conductor is used in connection with a stopper having extension conducting-bars upon its rear ends, as in some known constructions, it will not be necessary to extend it into the nozzle, but simply to have its end come in close proximity to the rear end of the reservoir, as in Fig. 9,01' to the narrow conduct-ors on the stopper, and co-operate with the stopper or conductors thereon in conducting the ink to the ink-passage, feed-bar, or transmit* ter, and back of the pen.

I contemplate employing my invention in the construction of lower feed-pans as well as IOO IlO

upper feed, it only being necessary to adjust the transmitter D beneath instead of above the back of the pen, and to place the air-passage and the inl-p'assa ge in proper relation to the feed-bar or transmitter.

It is obvious that my invention of the air groove or passage, in combination with the tubular stopper, might be used with any kind of conductor extending into the reservoir, and, therefore, I do not limit this portion of my invention tothe special eonductorE, also, as the said conductor is applicable to fountain-pens having other constructions of'pensupports and ink and air passages, I do not confine the use of my conductor to the special construction of the pen-support and the air and ink passages. Furthermore, while in the special construction of fountain-pens shown the column of ink in the reservoir is mainly sustained against a too-rapid discharge by the stopper B and molecular attraction aided by a partial Vacuum above the column of ink, it is plain that myimprovements will be very useful in that construction of fountain-pens wherein the column of ink i's mainly sustained against a too-rapid discharge by atmospheric pressure, as in the construction of such pens,'and a partial vacuum above the column of ink.

I do not claim afountain-pen provided with a groove in the inner surface of its nozzle when such pen is organized to causethe ink to iiow from the reservoir along said groove to the back of the pen, as my invention has reference to a fountain-pen wherein its organization and operation are such that the y groove in the inner surface of the nozzle is rendered capable of supplying air to the reservoir.

I contemplate, as an equivalent of the plan shown, making the transmitter D separate from the stopper B and having it attached thereto.

l. In a fountain-pen, an air-vent isolated from any portion. of the pen and distinct from the ink-passage to apoint in rear of the heel of the pen, said air-vent `being' securedv through a longitudinal groove on the inner surface of the nozzle open to the air at the front of the nozzle and rendered a complete passage for air by means of the pen-supporting stopper adjusted within lthe nozzle, said stopper having a channel through it rendered operative for the outward oW of ink only, by reason of an ink-conductor independent of the stopper and feed-bar, the side walls of the ink-channel through the stopper, the pen lying across said channel, and the inktrans mitter in contact with the pen, the whole forming an ink-flowing medium from the reservoir to the pen-point, substantially as described.-

2. The nozzle end of the reservoir provided on its inner surface with an air-passage open to the air at its front end, in combination with a pen-supporting stopper having an auxiliary air-groove in its periphery and an ink-pas- Jsage through its body independent of the air-groove, substantially as described.

3. The nozzle end of the reservoir provided on its inner surface with an air-passage open to the air in front of the nozzle, a pen-supporting stopper having an ink-passage through it, and an ink-conductor separate from the stopper and supported within the reservoir, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The nozzle end of the reservoir provided on its inner surface with an air-passage open to the air at. the front ofthe nozzle, in combination with a pen-supporting stopper having an ink-passage through it independent of the air-passage of the nozzle, an ink-conductor separate from the stopper attached to the reservoir and having its ends isolated from the endand side walls of the same, and an ink-transmitter in contact with the pen, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination of an ink-reservoir, a pen-supporting stopper, and a conductor separable from the stopper and sustained between its ends by the reservoir, and having its ends disconnected from the end and side walls of the same, substantially as and for the purpose described.

G. The combination of an ink-reservoir, a pen supporting stopper, and a conductor separate from the stopper formed with front and rear ends, and an enlarged circulatory port-ion in rear of its front end and forward of its rear end, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. A fountain-pen provided with a conductor having its front and rear ends isolated from the end and side walls of the reservoir, and its body portion sustained solely by the side walls of the reservoir, substantially as described.

8. In a fountain-pen wherein the column of ink is sustained in part by reason of a partial vacuum being maintained above it, a transmitter forming a part of the nozzle and lying over the back of the pen, in combination with a conductor made separate from the nozzle, supported only bythe side walls of the reservoirand connecting the feed-supply with the pen, substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. In a fountain-pen wherein the ink is sustained in part by reason of a partial vacuum being maintained above it, an ink-transmitter in contact with the back of a pen, in combination with an air-passage sepa-rate from the ink-passage, said air-passage being in the inner surface of the nozzle end of the reservoir and open to the air at the front end of the nozzle, substantially as described.

lO. In a fountain-pen wherein the ink is sustained in part by reason of a partial vacuum being maintained above it, an ink-transmitter in contact with the back of a pen, in combination with an air-passage separate from the IOO IIO

ink-passage, said air-passage being formed partly in the inner surface ol' the nozzle and partly in the pen-sustaining and ink-supplying stopper, both of said passages extending to the front end of the nozzle and stopper, substantially as and forthepurpose described.

l1. In a fountain-pen in which the column of ink is in part sustained against too rapid ow by reason of a partial vacuum being maintained above it, a transmitter or feedbar formed on the stopper for conducting the ink over the baekof the pen, a stopper, and a nozzle having an air-groove on its inner side and open at the front end of the nozzle to the atmosphere,substantially as described.

12. In a fountain-pen having a reservoir carrying a conductor secured therein, with its front end free andproj eeting into the nozzle, an open air-entrance passage at the front of said nozzle distinct from the passage through which the ink descends to the pen, substantially as and for the pn rpose described.

13. In a lIonntain-pen, an Vink-Conductor, formed with an enlarged central sn1j porting section for iinpingement against the said Walls of the pen case or holder, and having attenuated ends isolated from the end and side walls of the reservoir and independent of the feed-bar or transmitter, said conductor being arranged with one end extending Within the reservoir and the otherwithin the nozzle in proximity to but not in contact with the heel of the pen, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ailx niy signature in presence of two Witnesses.

LAFOREST A. SIIATTUCK. lVitnesses:

JOHN R. SLATER, EDWARD T. FENWICK. 

